Stalk-gathering tunnel and pickup guard



May 22,- 1951 L. HAAPALA 2,553,855

STALK-GATHERING TUNNEL AND PICKUP GUARD Filed March 30, 1949 a7 Kao Htofney Patented May 22, `1951- sTALK-GATHERING TUNNEL AND PICKUP GUARD Levi Haapala, Dassel, Minn., assignor to Whiteley and Caine, Minneapolis, Minn., a partnership Application March 3o, 1949, serial No. 84,459 5 claims. (Ci. sti- 119) My invention relates to a stalk-gathering tunnel and pick-up guard for stalk disintegrating machines, and has for its object to provide a tunnel arrangement with a guard member at its front having substantially ground-level, projectingngers which are adapted to come under vegetable stalks, such as cornstalks, lying in any direction from the stalk rows, and to cause the tunnel in passing over them to lift them and positant corn raising industry of the United States."

2 which have the capacity to extend under cornstalks bent toward or upon the ground no matter what their angles may be, and which will bring the cornstalks into horizontally extended position'v Its larvae feed on the green stalks of the corn Y and lnally form nests in the pith of the stalks,

where the larvae become pupae and winter over until spring or early summer, coming out in the spring as a butterfly or moth. These proceed to lay eggs upon the growing corn. The whole life span ofthe corn borer is thus highly destructive and may seriously diminish and deteriorate a corn crop where the corn borers are prevalent.

Most corn is harvested at the present time by means of what is known as a corn picker, which travels over the land and removes the corn from the stalks, leaving the stalks in a more or less bent and twisted condition often close to the ground. Also the stalks are laid down in many different positions at different angles to the row.

Incornstalk disintegrators, one or more tunnels are provided, which, as the machine isvoperated over the ground, ride over and are centered above the corn rows. ployed at the rear end of the tunnel, and it is essential to gather the cornstalks in the tunnel substantially longitudinally extended along the top of the corn rows, so the beating means will strikev each cornstalk hundreds of times as it passes beneath, thus disintegrating and shredding and tearingto pieces the whole length of the cornstalks.

I have discovered that in order to successfully accomplish the gathering together of the cornstalks and laying them substantially horizontal over the corn rows and at the rear end throat of the tunnel, where the beating takes place, something more than the tunnel walls themselves is required to produce the most effective results. .1. To this end I have provided a powerfully supported U-bar member mounted for adjustment relative to the level of the ground with finger-like membersprojecting forwardly and outwardly,

Beating means are emat the rear end throat of the tunnel. This construction also forms a powerful guard member about the forward open end of the tunnel, which ordinarily will be constructed of sheet metal.

It is a principal object of my invention, therefore, to mount at the front end of a stalk-gathering tunnel, which may be constructed ofsheet' metal, a heavy continuous U-bar preferably formed of heavy steel rod, said U-bar being' formed with downwardly and outwardly projecting ngers adapted -to traverse the level of the ground between cornstalk rows either at said level.v or in some cases actually below the level of sai ground. Y l

It is a further object of my invention to mount said U-bar on rigid members or webs extending rearwardly along the sides of the tunnel member and to secure said webs to angle iron frame members which in turn are secured by welding or in any suitable way to the sides of the tunnel members.

It ik a further object of my invention to provide spaced ears at the center of the transverse portion of the U-bar, which ears are rigidly attached to said transverse member, and to connect with said ears, .either directly or throughan intervening link, a relief rod or bar which extends through a supporting part of the frame `and maintains the U-bar and the fingers thereon inV position under normal conditions but which when some heavy obstruction is contacted, as for example, a large rock, will-allow the U-bar to swing on its pivotal support on the frame and pass over the obstruction.v

It is a further object of my invention to have a break-pinvconnection between the release rod and the ears on the transverse part of the U-bar so that if the strain becomes too great, the pin will sever and completely release the guard member.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description given in the following specification, and the novel features combined to produce the above noted advantageous and important results are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention as applied to the front end of a stalkgathering tunnel.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same taken toward the front of the stalk-gathering tunnel.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the entire tunnel structure in relation to the stalk disintegrating machine as a whole.

As illustrated, referring rst to Fig. 4, which shows the general apparatus in which my im` proved invention opera-tes, a horizontal frame I supported by wheels I I has upright frame members I2 and I3 which support a central double VV pulley structure I4 driven by a shaft I5, This in turn is connected by a universal' joint I6 with a shaft I1 which goes to a source of power, in practice the power take-oir of the tractor which drives the device.

The pulley arrangement I4 drives two shafts, of which only one,l I8, is shown. The two shafts are centered above corn rows or other vegetable rows and carry beaters I9.

A stalk-gathering tunnel indicated generally by the numeral has side walls 2l and 22 and a' top wall 23, which haveV the side elevation shape indicated in Figs. l and 4. The side walls 2| and 22 converge towardA each other from the major front opening 24 to the side edges 25 and 25 of the minor rear opening, or throat 21, of the stalk-'gathering tunnel.

Similarly the top plate 23 converges downwardly tothe' top edge 28V of the throat 21. Angle iron framemembers 23 and 30 strengthen the botte-nrsY or" side plates 2|v and 22, preferably being weldedthereto, and supporting bars comprising angle irons 3l and 32 give rear and centra-l support connected with the horizontal frame members I3.

The angle iron 3I is vertical, but the angle iron 32 is bent at 33, having the portion S4 below the bend extending at an angle toward the front of the tunnel member 29, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 4.

A U-member 35 has a horizontal portion 35 and two leg portions 31 and 33, as very clearly shown in Fig. 2. This U member 35 will preferably be formed of a relatively heavy round iron rod which is solid, as indicated in Fig. 35 and which is suitably bent into the shape shown in. Fig. 2.

The leg 33 has a linger-like member 3-9 which extends outwardly and downwardly at its end, asl shown con-jointly by Figs. l and 2.

rI'he leg 31 has a similar finger-like member 43,` similarly arranged. Each ofl members 39 and 43 cornes to a substantial point at 4I and 42, and the lower lie-dy part of the ends of members' 3B and 33 is carried down in a reinforcing bulge 43, which has its lower surfaces slightly below the points 4i and 42, and substantially at ground level.

As shown in Fig. 3, the portion 34 of angle bar 32, which contacts and is rmly welded to side wall 221, has secured to its outwardly extending web 46', preferably by bolting or riveting,` a short piece of angle iron 44 with its forwardly extending web 45 overlies the outwardly extending web 4S of part 34.

A rigid member or web 41, preferably of quite large area and of rhomboidal shape, as shown in Fig. 1, is welded at 48 to the leg 38 of the U member 35.

A similar rigid member or web piece, not shown, is welded. in the same way to the leg 31 and the' side member 2l.

The web 41, as clearly shown, has diverging edges', whicligive it welded contact with the leg 38 (also the leg 31) of quite considerable extent.

The smaller end 49 of web 41 overlies the ange 45 of angle iron member 44 and is provided with a multiplicity of holes 50, the center one which are continued through angle iron portion 45, it being understood, of co'urse, that a similar arrangement is provided for the leg 31.

'. The'''sm'allery ends 4 9 ,of' webs '41 extending from each ofle'gs 38 and 31 overlies the ange 45 of angle iron member 44. A hole 50 is positoned to match the hole 5I in the flange 45 of angle iron 44.v A strong bolt 52, preferably held in position by cotterpins, as shown at 53, Fig. l. secured the U-pieces through the webs 48 and 4T in a pivotal manner to the portion 34 of frame pieces 32'. This pivotal connection is held set in the tollowing manner.

To the horizontal part 36 of the U-piece are secured a pair of ears 54 and 55, as shown, by welding. A rectangular bar 56 extends between the ears' and is united to or held bythern with a break-bolt or' shear pin` 51. l

The bar 55, as best shownV in Fig. 2, extends thro-ugh an opening in transverse frame bar 58- whic'h. is supportedupon the upper portion of angle iron supports 32. A rear portion 59 of the bar extends past the frame bar 58 and has at its end a nut 59 and a washer E0.- Be tween the washer 60 and the fram-e plate 58 is a strong compression spring 6I.

`It follows that when the lingers 39 and 40- onthe ends of side rails 38 or either of them strike an obstruction. inV or projected. from the surface of the ground, which it cannot remove, the entire structure may roch on the bolts 52 and the compressionv spring 6I will take up the rocking and also the work of the machine to continue without injury tothe frame members 39 and 40. If, however, the obstruction is too strong, the

shear-pin 51v will fracture allowing the entire U-piece constructionv to swing clockwise over the obstruction.

I claim;

l. In a machine of the class described, incom-bination, a mobile frame,` a stalk-gathering tunnel formed of top and side walls which diverge from an enlarged front opening to a restricted rear throat, a pair of spaced depending supporting bars carried by the mobileframe and4 secured to the side walls of the tunnel in rear of. the front opening and. forming a support for thetunnel, a U-shaped guard having arms which extend substantially parallel with. the front edges of the side walls of the tunnel, the outer endsof each of saidarms formed in angularly outwardly extending pick-up ngers which are in a plane parallel with the lower edges of the side walls of the tunnel, and an adjustable connection between each of said supporting bars and the arms of the Ueshaped member for adjusting the position of said U-shaped member relative to the front opening of the tunnel..

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a mobile frame, a stalk-gathering tunnel formed of top and side walls which diverge from an enlarged front opening to a restricted rear throat. a pair of spaced depending supporting bars carried by the mobile frame and secured to the side wallsl of the tunnel in rear of the front opening and forming a support for the tunnel, a U-shaped guard having arms which extend substantially parallel with the front edges of the side walls of the tunnel, the outer ends of each of said armsformed in 'which are in a plane parallel withy the lower edges of the side walls of the tunnel, a rigid member secured to each arm` of the U-shaped member and extending rearwardly to one of the supporting bars, a pivotal connection between each of said members and one of the supporting bars being eiiective to permit rotation of the U-shaped member relative to the supporting bars when a piek-up finger engages an obstruction, and resilient means cooperable with a portion of said U-shaped member for resisting rotative movement.

3. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a mobile frame, a stalk-gathering tunnel formed of top and side walls which diverge from an enlarged front opening to a restricted rear throat, a pair of spaced depending supporting bars carried by the mobile frame and secured to the side Walls of the tunnel in rear of the front opening and forming a support for the tunnel, a U-shaped guard having arms which extend substantially parallel with the front edges of the side walls of the tunnel, the outer ends of each of said arms formed in angularly outwardly extending pick-up ngers which are in a plane parallel with the lower edges of the side Walls of the tunnel, a rigid member secured t each arm of the U-shaped member and extending rearwardly to one of the supporting bars, a pivotal connection between each of said rigid members and said bars, a relief rod secured to said U-shaped member and extending rearwardly between said supporting bars, a cross member surrounding said relief rod and joined at its outer ends to said supporting bars, and resilient means cooperable between said cross member and said relief rod for restricting rotative movement of the U-shaped member.

4. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a mobile frame, a stalk-gathering tunnel formed of top and side walls which diverge from an enlarged front opening to a restricted rear throat, a pair of spaced depending supporting bars carried by the mobile frame and secured to the side walls of the tunnel in rear of the front opening and forming a support for the tunnel, a U-shaped guard having arms which extend substantially parallel with the front edgesof the side walls of the tunnel, the outer ends of each of said arms formed in angularly outwardly extending pick-up fingers which are in a one of the supporting bars, a cross member extending between said bars and overlying the top of the tunnel, a pair of ears secured to the upper portion of the U-shaped member, a relief rod penetrating said cross member and extending between said ears, resilient means cooperable between said relief rod and said cross member for resisting pivotal movement of the U-shaped member, and a shear pin forming a frangible connection between said relief rod and said ears which is operable to permit the U-shaped member to rotate freely when one of the lingers engages a stationary obstruction.

5. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a mobile frame, a stalk gathering tunnel formed of top and side walls which diverge from an enlarged front opening to a restricted rear throat, a pair of spaced depending supporting bars carried by the mobile frame and secured to the side Walls of the tunnel in rear of the front opening and forming a support for the tunnel, a U-shaped guard having arms which extend substantially parallel with the iront edges of the side walls of the tunnel, the outer ends of each of said arms formed in angularly outwardly extending pick-up fingers which are in a plane parallel with the lower edges of the side walls of the tunnel, a rigid member secured to each arm of the U-shaped member and extending rearwardly to one of the supporting bars, means forming an adjustable connection between each of said rigid members and the supporting bars for adjusting the position of said U-shaped member relative to the front opening of the tunnel, said last named means permitting pivotal rotation of the U-shaped member when either of the outer pick-up fingers engages an obstruction, and resilient means cooperable with a portion of the U-shaped member for resisting rotative movement of said member.

LEVI HAAPALA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 657,411 Hamm Sept. 4, 1900 1,945,733 Court Feb. 6, 1934 2,023,491 Rust et al. Dec. 10, 1935 2,479,510 Pollard et a1. Aug. 16, 1949 

